Bibi Dong's delicate brows furrowed slightly in confusion.
Ning Lin continued, "If Your Highness still considers this a 'theory' after reading it, I can take you to Spirit Hall's Central Library right now."
"I believe we'll find the source of every part of this 'great theory' there."
Something stirred in Bibi Dong's heart.
She hesitated.
To be honest, deep down, she did not entirely believe Ning Lin.
Although Yu Xiaogang sometimes liked to boast and his theoretical knowledge was rather jumbled, she believed he was far from a completely useless fool.
Over the time they had spent together, many of his insights into martial souls had felt fresh and eye-opening to her.
Completely refuting him with just a few words would probably not be so easy.
Yet Ning Lin's air of having every detail already settled in his mind forced her to entertain doubts.
She glanced at the visibly nervous Yu Xiaogang, then at the composed Ning Lin. Finally, she extended her slender, fair hand and picked up the first manuscript page from the stone table.
She decided to read it first.
"Martial Soul Core Competitiveness"
The title certainly sounded intimidating.
Bibi Dong's gaze moved downward.
[On how the quality of a martial soul determines a soul master's upper limit. A powerful martial soul is a prerequisite for becoming a powerhouse.]
At the first sentence, Bibi Dong's brows drew together slightly.
This is... stating the obvious.
Everyone knows that the higher the quality of a martial soul, the greater one's future achievements will naturally be.
Does this really need to be written down as the first point of a theory?
She held on to her patience and continued reading.
[There are age limits for absorbing soul rings. The limit for the first soul ring is 423 years, and for the second soul ring, 764 years...]
At this point, Bibi Dong's fingers paused slightly as she turned the page.
Isn't this information from Spirit Hall's introductory textbook, "Soul Master Must-Read"?
Any child who has just graduated from a junior Soul Master Academy can recite it backward.
Why did he copy it here?
An ominous feeling began spreading through Bibi Dong's heart.
She began turning the pages faster.
[The importance of a mimicry cultivation environment: cultivating in an environment whose attributes resemble those of one's martial soul can yield twice the results with half the effort...]
[Conjectures regarding twin martial souls: the soul ring combinations of two martial souls must follow certain rules, or they can easily cause martial soul backlash...]
[An analysis of the team roles of power attack system, agility attack system, and control system soul masters...]
One page, two pages, three pages...
Bibi Dong's breathing gradually grew more rapid.
The more she read, the uglier her expression became.
By the end, her breathtakingly beautiful face had darkened as though it might drip water.
There's no need to go to the Central Library at all!
Of everything recorded in this so-called "Martial Soul Core Competitiveness," ninety percent is basic knowledge everyone on the continent knows!
The remaining ten percent consists of vague conjectures and hypotheses taken from Spirit Hall's internal journals!
An entire stack of manuscript pages, and from beginning to end, not a single word or sentence truly belongs to Yu Xiaogang!
It's all commonplace material, cobbled together, copied, and compiled!
Yu Xiaogang, that bastard!
He's been deceiving me with basic information that even children at a Soul Master Academy who have only just awakened their martial souls know!
And he shamelessly claimed this was an original theory he'd poured his heart and soul into researching?
Smack!
A sharp crack rang out.
Unable to read any further, Bibi Dong slammed the manuscript pages onto the stone table, her chest heaving violently with anger.
"Yu. Xiao. Gang!"
Every word of Bibi Dong's voice carried a chill.
She stared fixedly at the deathly pale man trembling before her like chaff in a sieve. In her beautiful phoenix eyes, nothing remained but towering fury at having been made a fool of.
Yu Xiaogang's heart sank to rock bottom in that instant.
I'm finished.
His greatest support had been Bibi Dong's trust in him.
But now, that trust had been torn to shreds by Ning Lin, a fellow who had appeared out of nowhere!
"D-Dong'er, listen to me!"
Yu Xiaogang panicked. He stepped forward and tried to grab Bibi Dong's arm.
"These... these are just a compilation of basic theories! They were meant to make things easier for you to understand! I haven't had time to write down my core ideas, my original contributions!"
He was still making a final struggle, trying to salvage the situation with lies.
Smack!
Bibi Dong mercilessly slapped his outstretched hand away.
"Shut up!"
She looked at Yu Xiaogang with disgust, as though she were looking at a pile of nauseating trash.
"Do you take me for a fool?"
Bibi Dong's voice was quiet, but filled with resolve.
She turned toward Ning Lin and bowed slightly.
"Scholar Ning, you were right."
"I was blind and failed to judge his character."
"Please lead the way. We'll go to the Central Library right now."
"I want to see for myself just how foolish I've been!"
She intended to nail this matter down once and for all!
She would leave Yu Xiaogang no room whatsoever to argue his way out!
At the words "Central Library," Yu Xiaogang's body jolted, and the last trace of color drained from his face.
Go to the Library?
Wouldn't that be a public execution?
He instinctively turned, wanting to flee this place where he was too ashamed to show his face.
Yet the moment he moved, a hand clamped onto the back of his neck like iron pincers.
"Grandmaster, where might you be going?"
Ning Lin's faintly mocking voice drifted into his ear.
Yu Xiaogang struggled desperately, but his soul power of a mere level thirty was as feeble as an infant's before Ning Lin, who had already surpassed level forty.
Ning Lin lifted him with one hand, leaving his feet dangling off the ground as he kicked pathetically in midair.
"After you, Your Highness."
Without so much as glancing at the struggling "Grandmaster" in his hand, Ning Lin gestured for Bibi Dong to proceed.
Bibi Dong nodded expressionlessly, turned, and led the way down the mountain.
Spirit Hall's Central Library.
This place housed the most extensive collection of books on the entire Douluo Continent. Countless precious texts and soul master research materials rested quietly on its shelves.
Thanks to Bibi Dong's status as Saintess, the three entered the core section without obstruction.
As familiar with the place as if he were strolling through his own back garden, Ning Lin pulled volume after volume from the shelves.
"Soul Master Must-Read (Beginner Edition)," "A Preliminary Exploration of the Relationship Between Martial Soul Attributes and Environmental Mimicry," "Spirit Hall Journal, Issue 372"...
Books both new and old were placed beside Yu Xiaogang's "Martial Soul Core Competitiveness."
Ning Lin casually opened a book, then picked up a manuscript page.
"Your Highness, please look. The information about soul ring age limits on the third manuscript page comes from page seventeen of 'Soul Master Must-Read.'"
"And here on page five, the discussion of mimicry cultivation environments comes from the opening of this 'Preliminary Exploration.'"
"As for this conjecture about twin martial souls... it's a hypothesis proposed by an Elder in issue 372 of the journal. It remains unproven to this day."
Before you continue